WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK EVENT IN KOLKATA , INDIA 4th February 2018.

UNITEA IN DIVERSITEA : CELEBRATING WORLD INTERFAITH HARMONY WEEK. OPEN DOORS OPEN HEARTS OPEN MINDS : Discussing Harmony Over Tea At Lake Mosque.

Event Organiser: Indian Pluralism Foundation

Website :indianpluralism.org

Phone Number : +0091 9051312323

Date:04th February 3PM - 5 PM.

Venue:Lake Mosque:13/2, Lake Gardens, RabindraSarobar, Baroj Road, Kalighat, Kolkata, West Bengal 700029. India.

The Lake mosque set the stage of Unitea in Diversiteaprogramme on 4th February at Lake Mosque, Kolkata, India to celebrate United Nations Designated Interfaith Harmony Week.

The main objective of this event is to promote peace, respect and harmony in our world. The flowering cultural and religious pluralism in our world means that interfaith engagement becomes ever more important today. To this The Indian Pluralism Foundation arranged a tea party with discussion on harmony by different religious leaders of Kolkata at Lake Masjid.

The world has entered a period when the habitual political landscape is being redrawn. Not only new risks are emerging but old ones are resurfacing again, even though everyone thought they were gone for good. In times of uncertainty, stability depends on how strong and broad the universally recognized framework of law is. In India, our constitution, the legal document of our country directs her citizens to be identified by one recognition and that is we the people. One of the day’s speakers mentions that this very concept “we the people” is our country’s religion. To appreciate his statement every Indian citizen today will accept this phrase as their religion and they should keep their doors and minds open to all.

Sikh Priest Mr. Aluwalia tells the audience that Punjab is the state where mosques, temples and churches are found not in numbers only but those are also famous for constructions.

The Buddhist monk Tshering caught the day’s attention by his own personal simplicity, broad smile, manner of tolerance and benevolence. Yes, Buddhism teaches and preaches the principles of non violence and love to all.Tshering also represents himself as the replica of his religious teachings.

Likewise Father Martin P. emphasizes on the concept of Christian love. All of us should love one another. Love begins in home. Next we should love our neighbours. In such manner love should spread all over. Hatred is not at all desired. Only love can remove the barriers of differences. Love can establish in our mind the concept of “we feeling” by removing the concept of ‘they feeling.”

Mr. Dipankar Hindu Priest and Mr. Arijit From MatriMandir along with revered Jain Community Representative also explained the situation of solutions to religious conflicts is through Interfaith Gatherings.

Haj Committee India, Secretary Mr. Mukhtar says that food habit of a particular religion can never be the issue of politics. Those who are instigating in the society the issues like this they can never be the friends of our society.

Muslim Shia Cleric Mr. JavedRizvi has his own family tradition of being benevolent to other religions. His Father was also an eminent scholar both in Islamic and other religious studies. Mr. Rizvi who has come along with his younger brother is also an example of Islamic elite culture that bears its own elegant view. Certainly his valour reveals that he can save every situation, every human being in peace as well as in conflict.

In conclusion we can say that peace begins with a smile. I cannot kill you because you are on the other side of the river and above all we should never forget that we have been created for greater things, to love and to be loved.

A tea party in the courtyard of a Mosque is a rare experience to the invites from different walks of life. It was a pleasurable experience to attend such an event for the Kolkatans